Log yarding system



United States Patent [72] Inventors MaurlceLMclntyrc 156] 1 liefe'reic'escifed quitllm,New Westmin t UNITED STATES PATENTS 745,253' 11/1903 Smith 212/90 53% 832,744 10/1906 N0l1'1S.... 212/81 figs- U11! 1968 51,511,796 10/1924 Bergen... 212/89 v ContintihtiQn-in-DartofSenNO.618,022,' 4 rs 'Feb.23,l967,nowPatentNo.3,407,942J1 12196] pa ei d i s t I c ntyl'e no [73] Assignee Sltagit Corporation 2 1 FOREIGN PATENTS SedroWoolley,Wuilngton 1 527,330 0/1931 Germany 212/97 I PriinaryjExaniiner-Harvey C. Hornsby a corporation of [54] LOG YARDING SYSTEM [50] Field ofSearch 212/76, 77,

Attorneys-Jackson & Jones and Flame, Arens, Hartz, Smit 8: Thompson ABSTRACT: A log yarding system is provided with a carriage Patented Dec. 1, 1970 Shoot L or 2 MAUECE d. MCINTYRE @AED 6. RENEE INVENTORS.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 1, 1970 3,543,946

Shoot 2 of 2 MAURIQE J. McENTYRE QAWQ G. RENNEE INVENTORS AT TORNE YS LOG YARDING SYSTEM This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 618,022, filed Feb. 23, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,942, the disclosure of which is by this reference incorporated herein.

In log yarding systems wherein a carriage is suspended by a suspending line and rigged with a two-part inhaul line and a tag line connected to one part of the two part inhaul line and extended through the carriage to a log engaging means, a yarder must be provided with sufficient versatility todraw in both parts of the inhaul line to advance the suspended carriage toward the yarder and to draw in or pay out one part of the two-part inhaul line relative to the other part to effect a shift of position of the point of connection of the tag line with .the

inhaul line relative to the carriage. This yarder versatility may be provided by winding the ends of the inhaul line onto cable winding drums adapted to wind the two parts of the inhaul line onto the respective drums simultaneously or to wind in one part and pay out the other part. This versatility may also be provided by winding the ends of the two-part inhaul line onto a common drum with the two windings separated by a divider, for example, and by providing a line puller rigged to one part of the two-part inhaul line such thatoperation of the line puller will effect the required movement of the tag line point of connection relative to the carriage independent of operation of the cable winding drums. Of the two, the line shortener embodiment can be employed withless sophisticated yarder equipment in that specially designed cablewinding drums and appropriate interlocking gear strains are not required. Therefore, the advantages attainable by the use of a two-part inhaul line can be had more economically, particularly when it is desired to modify an existing yarder to accommodate a twopart inhaul line.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a yarding system that incorporates a two-part inhaul line rigged to a suspension carriage and connected to a tag line and a line puller mechanism operatively disposed at the yarder and adapted to operate on one of the parts of the two-part inhaul line. Another object is to to provide such a system wherein the line shortener mechanism is incorporated into the yarder tower.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of one embodiment of the log yarding system of this invention wherein a cable type line shortener is employed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary inhaul line cable winding drum arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation depicting a hydraulic cylinder operated line shortener; and

FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation depicting a hydraulic motor operated line shortener.

In brief the log yarding system of this invention comprises yarder means provided with cable-winding drums for a suspending line and for the ends of a two-part inhaul line, a suspension carriage suspended by and movable on the suspension line with the inhaul line being rigged through the suspension carriage, log-engaging means adapted to be attached to a turn of logs, a tag line rigged through the suspension carriage means and connected to one part of the inhaul line and to the log engaging means, and a line puller mechanism reeved to one part of the two-part inhaul line to operate on that inhaul line part such that the point of connection ofthe tag line to the inhaul line can be shifted relative to the suspension carriage. The log-engaging means is preferably a tag line operated grapple that is fixedly secured to and suspended by the suspension carriage.

With reference to the system disclosed in FIG. 1, a haulback line is shown extending from a haulback cable winding drum 12 mounted by a yarder 14 and through a fairleader 16 atop the yarder tower 18, through a tail hold 20 to the tail end of a suspension carriage 22. The suspension carriage is provided with a pair of sheaves that'mount the carriage on the part of the haulback line that extends between the fairleader 16 and the tail hold 20. A two-part inhaul consisting of parts 24a and 24b extends from an inhaul cable-winding drum 26 through tower mounted sheave assemblies 2& and 30, and is reeved about a sheave 32 mounted by the suspension carriage. A two-line grapple 34 is fixedly suspended from the underside of the carriage and a tag line 36 extends from the grapple, as the grapple-operating or control line, around a sheave mounted on the carriage and is connected to one part of the two-part inhaul line at connection point 38. A line puller mechanism comprises a sheave 42 that rides on one part of a two-part inhaul line, a pulling line 40 attached to the sheave 42, and a line puller cable-winding drum 44 mounted on the yarder and adapted to wind in line 40 to displace the aforesaid one part of the two-part inhaul line to the position shown in dotted line. As shown in FIG. 2, the drum 26 is provided with a center divider 27 mounted at the midpoint of the drum hub to divide the drum into leftand right-hand sections 26a and 26b, with each part of the inhaul line being wound on one half of the drum as shown.

In the'FIG. 3 embodiment the line puller mechanism is mounted within the yarder tower 118. The line puller of this embodiment comprises a vertically movable sheave 130 mounted by a hydraulic cylinder 133 and guided in its vertical movement by guideways 135. Sheaves 128 and 131 are mounted to the tower and one part of the inhaul line is reeved over sheave 128 and the other part is reeved between sheaves 130 and 131. When the cylinder 133 is stroked out the inhaul line part reeved over sheave 130 will be pulled to the dotted line position shown; As in the FIG. 1 embodiment, the haulback line is extended from the cable-winding drum 112 through the tower mounted fair-lead 116 through the carriage 122 around tail hold and connected to the tail end of the carriage. The carriage is suspended by and movable along line 110 and a grapple 134 (shown as a power-open grapple) is fixedly secured to and suspended by the carriage. A tag line 136 is connected to one part of the inhaul line and reeved over a sheave in the carriage and connected to the grapple as a grapple control line.

The line puller embodiment of FIG. 4 also is mounted within the yarder tower and comprises a vertically movable sheave 230, a hydraulic winch 233 with a cable wound thereon and connected to the sheave 230, guideways 235 for vertically guiding the sheave 230. The sheave 228 is mounted to the yarder tower 218 and one part of the inhaul line is reeved thereon, and a pair of sheaves 229 and 231 are mounted on the tower and the other part of the inhaul is extended across the sheaves with the line puller sheave 230 riding on the section of the inhaul line part extending between sheaves 229 and 231. When the line puller winch is actuated to retract the winch cable, the sheave 230 will draw the inhaul line part reeved across sheaves 229 and 231 down to the dotted line position as shown.

Of the three embodiments depicted, the FIG. 4 embodiment permits reeving both parts of the main line through the tower as near to the top of the tower as is desired, thereby permitting maximum reach for the system. Also, the FIG. 4 design provides a two-part action on the line puller such that the effective extent of movement of the tag line point of connection 238 will be at least twice the vertical movement of the line puller mechanism whereas in the other two embodiments the effective movement of the tag line point of connection with the inhaul line will be something less than twice the vertical movement of the line puller.

During operation of the system with a power-open grapple being employed, the tag line point of connection may be advanced away from the carriage to open the grapple either by paying cable out from the inhaul line drum while the line puller is operated by paying line out from the haulback drum while the line puller is operated. In the latter case the carriage would be advanced toward the tower a distance equal to half the length of the inhaul part pulled in by the line puller.

in the preferred operation of the system of this invention, wherein a power-open two-line grapple is fixedly suspended by the suspension carriage, the line puller mechanism is operably engaged to that part of the two-part inhaul mechanism is operably engaged to that part of the two-part inhaul line to which the tag line is connected. Thus operation of the line puller mechanism will pull the tag line thereby causing the grapple to open. When the line puller mechanism is in its nonactuated condition, as shown in solid line in FIGS. 1 and 3- 4, the grapple will remain closed. In a typical operation of the system, when the carriage is hauled out and positioned over a turn of logs with the grapple open, the carriage suspending line will be slackened to drop the grapple onto the turn of logs. The line puller mechanism will be returned to its unactuated position, thereby releasing the pulling tension on the tag line, and the carriage suspending line will be tightened thereby raising the grapple which is now closed around the turn of logs. Both parts of the inhaul line will then be wound in thereby drawing the carriage to the yarder means to bring in a turn of logs, the line puller mechanism exerting a minimum of frictional resistance during the inhaul. When the carriage is positioned over the landing adjacent the yarder means, the line puller mechanism is actuated to pull the tag line and thereby open the grapple and release the turn of logs. With the line puller mechanism remaining in its actuated condition such that the grapple remains open, the carriage is returned down the skidding road to be positioned over another turn of logs. [f frictional, resistance created by the line puller mechanism remaining in its actuated condition is deemed too large during the outhaul, the line puller mechanism may be returned to its unactuated condition such that the grapple is closed during the outhaul. if the grapple is closed when it is positioned over a turn of logs at the end of the outhaul, the line puller mechanism must of course be actuated to pull the tag line to effect opening of the grapple before the grapple is lowered'onto the turn of logs. in the eventthat a two line, power-closed grapple is employed, the line puller mechanism would of course be actuated to pull the tag line and thus to close the grapple and the line puller mechanism would remain in its actuated condition on the inhaul. I

As shown in the drawings, the outhaul line preferably doubles as a suspending line so that the number of lines and the complexity of the system rigging is reduced. However, if desired a separate suspending line may be employed apart from the outhaul line. An example of such a system is shown suspension carriage-means; said inhaul line drum means being adapted to wind in both parts of said inhaul line to draw in said suspension carriage means; and line puller means mounted by said yarder means and adapted to pull the one part of said inhaul line such that the point of connection between the inhaul line and the tag line can be shifted relative to said suspension carriage means for operating said log-engaging means independent of said inhaul line drum means.

2. The system of claim wherein said suspension line comprises an outhaul line rigged to said tail hold and to said suspension carriage means, said suspension carriage means being suspended by the outhaul line part extended between said yarder means and said tailhold.

' 3. The system of claim 1 wherein said line puller means comprises a sheave mounted on one part of said inhaul line, a pulling line drum mounted by said yarder means, and a pulling line wound on said pulling drum and connected to said pulling sheave, said pulling drum being adapted to displace said pulling sheave toward said pulling drum thus to displace the and described with reference to H6. 5 of theabove mentioned parent application.

, It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood from the foregoing detailed description of my now preferred illustrated embodiment. Changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is accordingly my intention that no limitations be implied and that the hereto annexed claims be given the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

We claim:

l. A system of yarding logs which comprises operatively controlled log-engaging means adapted to be attached to a turn of logs; an outlying tail hold; a suspension carriage means; yarder means provided with cable-winding drum means with one end of a suspending line wound thereon and cable-winding drum means with opposite ends of a two part inhaul line wound thereon, the suspending carriage means being suspended by and movable along said suspension line, and the inhaul line part mounting said pulling sheave toward said pulling drum.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said line-pulling means comprises a line-pulling sheave, a hydraulic cylinder mounting said pulling sheave and adapted to engage said pulling sheave with one part of said inhaul line to displace the inhaul line part engaged by said pulling sheave to effect a shift in the tag line point of connection with said inhaul line.

5'. The system of claim 3 wherein said line-pulling means includes guideways mounted by said yarder means to guide said line-pulling sheave.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein said line-pulling means in cludes guideways mounted by said yarder means to guide said line-pulling sheave.

7. The system of claim l wherein said log engaging means comprises a grapple suspended by said suspension carriage means; and wherein said tag line is operatively connected to said grapple as a control line.

8. A yarder for use in a suspension carriage grapple yarding system employing a suspension carriage, a grapple suspended by the suspension carriage, a carriage-suspending line, two part inhaul line rigged to the suspension carriage, and a grap pie-operating tag line. rigged to the suspension carriage and to the grapple suspended thereby and connected to one part of the two-part inhaul line, which comprises a yarder tower; a suspending cable fair-lead assembly mounted at the upper end of said yarder tower; first cable sheave means mounted by said yarder tower and adapted to have one part of a two-part inhaul line reeved thereon; second cable sheave means mounted by said yarder tower and adapted to have the other part of a two-part inhaul line reeved thereon; and linepulling means mounted by said yarder tower and adapted to displace one part of the inhaul line to effect relative movement of the tag line point of connection relative to the grapple suspension carriage.

9. The yarder of claim 8 wherein said line pulling means comprises a line-pulling sheave engaging one part of the inhaul line, and means mounted by said yarder tower and adapted to displace said linepulling sheave thus to effect displacement of the inhaul line part contacted by said line-pulling sheave.

10. The yarder of claim 9 including guideways mounted by said yarder tower and adapted to guide said line pulling sheave during the course of line-pulling displacement.

11 The yarder of claim 10 wherein the means adapted to displace said line-pulling sheave comprises a hydraulic cylinder mounting said line pulling sheave.

12. The yarder of claim 10 wherein said means adapted to displace said line pulling sheave comprises a line-pulling drum and a pulling line wound thereon and connected to said line pulling sheave. 

